Tool profile
LibreTime: cost, fit and limits
LibreTime is an open source radio broadcast and automation platform, licensed under AGPLv3, built for quick installation and aimed at community and independent stations for community and independent stations that want to manage their own schedules.
What to know first
LibreTime lists no price, no hosted plan and no maintainer on the page we read. The home page links an admin manual as the starting point, the source on GitHub, a community forum and a chat room. Its code is AGPLv3 and its docs GPLv2. One mention says you can start an internet radio station from the cloud, without stating hosting terms. No AI feature is named.
LibreTime at a glance
| Maker | Not stated on the vendor pages, Not stated on the vendor pages |
|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes |
| Entry price | Quote only |
| API access | No |
| Category | Best AI Radio Automation Software in 2026, rank 10 of 12 |
| Website | libretime.org |
Who LibreTime is best for
Community radio volunteers
A forum and chat room are linked, so volunteers can find peers who run the same software. and the same software can be inspected before use.
Stations that want open source licensing
The code is AGPLv3 and the source sits on GitHub, which lets an admin inspect and modify the program. and keep local changes under their own control.
Start-up web stations
The page says the platform is designed for quick installation, which helps a small team get a first schedule running.
LibreTime plans and pricing
| Plan | Price | What it includes |
|---|---|---|
| Open source download | Not shown on the page read | Code licensed under AGPLv3 and docs under GPLv2. No hosted plan or price appears. No paid option is shown. |
Checked November 2026.
What LibreTime does
- Broadcast and automation
- The platform schedules and automates a station, according to the home page, with the admin manual as the getting-started path. Everything starts from the admin manual, which the home page puts first, so read it before you plan a studio.
- Quick installation
- The design aim of quick installation is stated, though the page does not list requirements. A team can expect to reach a working install without buying hardware or a license, though no requirements are listed.
- Open source code
- Source is on GitHub under AGPLv3, so developers can review changes and report issues. Developers can read the code, file issues and propose changes through the public repository.
- Community channels
- A forum and a chat room are linked for help from users and contributors. The chat and forum give newcomers a route to ask questions before they commit to the project.
How LibreTime handles your data
The LibreTime home page states the licenses but no data handling terms, and the privacy page was not reachable at the paths tried. The software is self-hosted, so audio and logs sit on the server you run. The page does not discuss model training, retention, certifications or the hosting details of the cloud start mentioned. Because there is no vendor, your own provider and backup routine decide how data is protected.
Where LibreTime falls short in practice
- Thin home page. The home page gives few product facts, so a buyer has to read the admin manual to find features and requirements. The page offers no feature table, no screenshots of the studio and no list of supported formats.
- No maintainer named. The page does not name who maintains the project, which makes support expectations unclear. Without a named maintainer, a station must watch release activity itself before relying on it for daily air.
- No hosted plan. No hosted plan or price is listed, so every install is a self-managed project. A station that needs a service contract will have to buy support elsewhere or accept volunteer help.
Works with
Alternatives to LibreTime
LibreTime: common questions
What license does LibreTime use?
The home page says the code is licensed under AGPLv3 and the documentation under GPLv2. The AGPL means that if you modify and run the code as a network service, you generally have to offer users the source, so a legal check is wise before you customize it.
Does LibreTime cost anything?
The pages read show no price and no hosted plan, and describe the software as open source. You will pay for the server and for the time spent on setup and updates. A mention of starting a station from the cloud does not state any hosting terms.
Where can I get help with LibreTime?
The home page links an admin manual, a community forum and a chat room, plus source code on GitHub. It does not list a paid support route, so response times depend on volunteers. Search the forum for your use case before installing.
Does LibreTime include AI features?
The home page names none. It describes a radio broadcast and automation platform with quick installation. A station wanting AI voices or AI news audio would have to add outside services, and the pages read give no integration guidance for that.
Who runs LibreTime?
The page we read does not name a maintainer or company. It links GitHub, a forum and a chat room. If a station depends on the software for daily air, it should confirm who answers security reports and how releases are announced.